NeoEquestrian Chronicles
by TheSorrowOfJoy
Summary: Equestria is in an age of prosperity, where technology and magic merge to create peace and harmony. However, this is all threatened by an ancient being that was thought to have been defeated long ago. Humanized story, in a sense.
1. Rainbow Dash's Prologue

Something I thought up after joking about how MLP would be reinvented into a movie. In each chapter, I hope to introduce each character's alternate reality counterpart. I tried to have them retain as much of their original personality as much as I could. Hope you guys like it!

**Julia "Rainbow" Dash**

"Hey! Yo Dash! Wake up, girl, you gotta get your head together!"

Julia struggled to wake herself up from her stupor. She literally got three hours of sleep the night before and was having trouble getting out of bed, but the sky over Equitem had to be cleared. She spoke into the radio after yawning.

"Don't worry about me, Thunderlane, I got it!" Dash said through the radio as she adjusted herself in her seat. Thunderlane's booming voice over the radio was enough of a shock to wake her up.

"Well hurry up then! You've been hovering there for five minutes! Soarin's gonna have our asses if we don't clear these clouds by noon," Thunderlane said from the other side of the radio.

"Hah! I'll have it done in no time at all! Get the timer ready," Julia said as she gripped the controls of the jet tightly. She began to breathe slowly, trying to remain calm and focused.

"That's my Dash! Alright… Go!"

Time stood still for a moment for Julia. She felt and heard the roar of the crystal engines. She could see every cloud in absolute clarity. She had total concentration. And then, like a bolt of lightning, the jet shot through the clouds. Julia expertly maneuvered the plane through the clouds, dissipating the clouds behind her. To the untrained eye, she was nothing but a blur, however, to fellow Cloudwalkers, Julia made cloud clearing look like art. After only a few moments, the once cloudy sky over Equitem was clear as crystal. Dash slowed her jet down and turned it towards Cloudsdale. Every time she cleared the clouds, she got a huge rush that was a feeling unlike anything in the world. Even now her heart was thumping loudly. Thunderlane appeared from above and began to fly along side Julia.

"Damn! Another fantastic performance by Rainbow Dash!" Thunderlane said over the radio, laughing.

"Yeah, it was pretty awesome," Julia said cockily. "What was my time?"

"Ten seconds flat! That's one for the record books," Thunderlane said back. "Hey, wanna race back? Loser buys drinks for the gang!" Thunderlane barely finished his sentence before he realized that he was staring at the back of Julia's jet. He shook his head and grinned before he took off after her.

Julia walked out of the locker room only to find Thunderlane and the rest of the gang waiting outside. They all ran up to a surprised Dash and gave her a big cheer as Thunderlane hoisted her into the air.

"H-hey! What's all this about?" Julia said while being paraded around on Thunder's shoulders.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten your own birthday," Thunderlane said. "We're gonna treat you to night on the town. Dinner, drinks, and a damn good time!"

"Aw, you guys didn't have to do this," Julia said as Thunderlane set her down.

"Are you kidding? We're your friends, right? Besides, Erika insisted," Thunderlane said. "Right, Flutter?"

Julia hadn't noticed Erika standing in the back of the group, hiding behind the others. She was hanging her head, but when everyone turned towards her, she looked up briefly at Julia. "Yeah, I mean… It was the least I could do," Erika said softly.

"Thanks. It really means a lot," Julia said with a smile. Erika shrunk back in embarrassment.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get going!" Thunderlane said followed by a cheer by their cohorts. The group walked together towards the hangers, chattering along the way.

"Hey, Thunder, where are you guys taking me?" Julia asked.

"I was thinking Manehattan. I know this great place that me and by sis used to hit up all the time down by the Broncs," Thunderlane said as they reached the hangers. "Alright, saddle up!"

The group entered and scattered in the darkness of the giant building. Despite the darkness, Julia didn't need light to know where here ride was. By memory, she walked over to her bike and hopped on. She smiled as she inserted the keys and watched the entire bike begin to shine with the light of the crystal engines. The bike gave a satisfying growl when she revved it up. Soon, the entire hanger was filled with crystal luminescence and the sound of engines being turned on. As soon as the hanger doors opened, Julia and the rest of her group sped out, heading straight towards the edge of the clouds. One by one, the bikes sped off the side of the clouds. Julia drove off last and saw her companions below her, heading nose down towards the ground. They stuck to a free-fall for a while, but once they had gotten below Cloudsdale, they pulled up sharply and let the jets kick in. The flying machines slowed to a halt in midair. The group came together in a circle and Thunderlane spoke up.

"Alright, just follow me. Once we get over to the Broncs, descend to ground level and switch to ground mode. It's a no fly zone above there, got it?" Thunder said. Everyone gave an understanding nod.

"Can we stop by the bakery on the way?" a voice piped up from behind Thunderlane. "I'm running out of muffins…"

"Whatever you say, Suzy," Thunderlane said with a chuckle. Suzy gave a squeal of joy and sped ahead of the group full of excitement. "Hey! Wait up!" Thunderlane went off after her, and the rest of the group followed, laughing. Julia smiled as she rode through the sky, knowing that tonight was going to be the best night ever.


	2. Pinkie Pie's Prologue

**Diana Pinkamena**

"Goodnight Las Pegasus! I love you all!" Diana said into the microphone. Her fans gathered at the stadium gave a gigantic cheer as the pyrotechnics shot up around Diana. She gave one last wave as she walked off the stage. The jumbotron behind her changed from a close up of her and her backup singers to an image displaying multicolored words reading "PINKIE PIE LIVE". As she went back stage, she was greeted by a cheery crew member holding out a water bottle. Diana took the bottle and smiled at the crewman as he ran off to attend to the other singers. She walked towards her dressing room, weaving through the bustling backstage crew. Finally, after a little pushing and shoving, she reached her dressing room door and pushed it open. She walked wearily towards the couch and collapsed upon it. Finally, after two long weeks, she had finally finished her tour of Equestria. Pinkie Pie was an enormous success. Even though she had only been in show business for a year, Diana had already achieved pop stardom with millions of fans. She had also amassed a massive amount of money off her concerts, making her one of the most successful rising pop artists in the last decade. At her current rate, she would assuredly become immortalized as one of the greatest singers of her generation. She was living the life everybody dreamed they could have.

But she hated it.

At first she loved the attention, the glamour, the glory. But the demanding pace was putting a great strain on her. She still loved putting smiles on the faces of her fans, but she hated having to do one show after the next without any rest. Her social life suffered greatly too. She had lost connections with many of her old friends and even her own parents. She was tired of it all. So, after thinking it over, she decided to retire the Pinkie Pie name and return to her hometown of Equitem. Diana was able to reach an old friend who said she was happy to let her stay with her and her family. Diana smiled as she laid back on the couch, thinking about finally getting some rest and relaxation. She was in the midst of her musings when she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Diana called. Even when she was exhausted, her voice was still cheery and sweet. The door opened to reveal an enormous, tall, well built man dressed in a black suit. He had sunglasses on his face and a radio in his ear.

"Your limo is waiting, Missus Diana," the man said in a deep voice. "Whenever you're ready, we'll escort you."

"I'll be right out!" Diana said to the man. The security guard gave a stiff nod before closing the door again. Diana sighed as she rose from the couch. She grabbed her bag and the rest of her belongings before looking around at the dressing room one last time. "Adios, dressing room! You won't be missed!"

She walked out of her room and was greeted by the same giant security guard accompanied by three other equally large guards. They formed a wall that looked sturdy enough to hold off armies around Diana. The group moved with precision towards the double door exit. They stopped right before the doors and remained silent for a moment. Outside, they could hear the screams and shouts of the mass of fans outside the doors.

"Alright, I want you two behind Missus Diana. Me and James will be in front," said one of the guards. "Would you like us to put up a barrier, Missus Diana?"

"No thanks! It gets_ waaay_ too stuffy in that bubble," Diana said.

The guard nodded and signaled the other guards to assume their positions. Once the men were in formation, the leader gave one final nod before opening the doors. The barrage of camera flashes and screaming fans was instantaneous. Hundreds of roaring followers were reaching out over the ropes with cameras and autograph books, hoping to get a piece of Pinkie Pie of their own. Diana signed a few autographs before finally reaching her limousine. The lead guard opened the door for Diana and motioned her inside. She smiled at the guard and jumped in. The titanic man held the door open for a moment as he fumbled for something in his back pocket. From it, he pulled out a little notebook and a pen and held it towards Diana. She gave a laugh as she signed it and handed it back to the guard. He gave her a brief smile and a nod before he closed the door to the limo. The car drove down the street, leaving the crowd behind. Diana slumped back in her seat and breathed out sigh of exhaustion. She found the leather seats of the limo to be very comfortable and this was one of the few things that she would miss, but not terribly so. She adjusted herself to tap on the glass of the partition. The driver lowered it immediately.

"Yes, Miss Diana?" the driver said cordially.

"Where are we heading?" Diana asked.

"Straight to the airport, as you requested," he responded. "The cooler is has the cupcakes you requested as well."

"Alright!" Diana said joyfully.

She fell back into her seat and opened the cooler by the seat. She reached in and pulled out a colorful cupcake. She tucked into the cupcake as she looked out of the windows to see the bright casino lights. Come tomorrow, she wouldn't have to be around these bright city lights anymore. One more thing she wouldn't care to miss. She was, however, going to miss one thing about living as a star. Deep down inside, she really hoped the people of her little home town of Equitem knew how to do one little thing.

How to party.


	3. Rarity's Prologue

Hey guys! Never forget to leave a review. It helps me improve the quality of my writing so I can create better stories. Thanks!

* * *

**Victoria Raines**

Victoria writhed nervously as she watched her guests inspect her designs. Never before have her designs been put out for display for such important people; three titans of the fashion industry were looking at _her _dresses. The trio was scrutinizing the designs closely, as a hawk would its prey before descending upon it. Each passing moment was an hour to her, a torment without end. It was only about five minutes before one of the three illustrious guests spoke up.

"I really like the way the colors compliment on this one," the one said, removing his red tinted sunglasses to inspect the dress closer.

"Yes, and the design is simple yet elegant," another said. "I just _have _to have this one!"

"Absolutely amazing. Where did you come up for the concept behind this design?" the last said, turning to Victoria. Victoria stood in a daze, not fully realizing that she had been spoken to. She snapped to attention after a couple of seconds.

"O-oh! It just came to me," Victoria stuttered through a halfhearted smile. "I-I find inspiration everywhere!"

"Very impressive. And how much would you be willing to price this dress at?" the last man responded. He was a rather short man, only half the size of Victoria, who wasn't very tall at all.

"U-uh, let's see…" Victoria had never really thought about prices up until now. She tried to add up the costs of materials, assembly time, and quality. She blurted out a number. "Six hundred?"

"Impossible," the other man said, who towered above all others in the room. Victoria shrunk back humiliation. She knew she shouldn't have priced it so high.

"It would be an embarrassment to you and me. I'll give you eight hundred."

Victoria nearly fainted.

"Yes, I agree with Kager. Six hundred is simply too low a price," the woman said. "I'll take fifty of them. Can you do fifty?"

"Y-yes! Of course I can!" Victoria said, absolutely stunned. She couldn't believe it. They were really going to buy her designs!

"Yes, I too would like fifty for my store in Canterlot," the short man said.

"I'll showcase this in my next fashion shoot if you will permit me, Miss Raines," Kager said as he caressed the dress as one would a small animal.

Victoria made sure she wasn't dreaming before she responded. "A-absolutely! Just tell me when you need them and I'll be right on it!"

"I foresee us talking again in the future, Miss Raines. Now if you will excuse me, my ride is waiting outside," Kager said as he grabbed his hat from the chair behind him. "I'll contact you later in regard to the dresses. Good day!" Kager waved before leaving the room.

"Miss Raines! It was a pleasure meeting you!" the woman said in a cheery voice as she took Victoria's hand and held it gently for a second in both hands. When she removed them, Victoria found herself in possession of a small paper. "My number. Call me and we can discuss the orders. Ciao!" And with that, she strode out of the room.

The smallest man came up to Victoria and gave her a gentle handshake. "Well Miss Raines, it was a great pleasure. I'll make sure you're dresses get the front window at my store," the man said as he let go of her hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Maximoff. It was an honor meeting you," Victoria said calmly with much effort.

"Please, only my clients call me that. Call me Hector," said Hector. "Bye-bye!"

"Good bye Mister- I mean, Hector," Victoria said as she waved the little man off. When the last guest walked out the door, Victoria fell back onto a nearby chair. She was in a state of absolute disbelief. Was she dreaming? It was all so surreal. She gently pinched herself on the cheek, half jokingly but also just to see if this really was reality. She called out through the house. "Elizabeth! Come here Elizabeth!"

"Alright sis, one sec!" a cheery voice called from somewhere else in the house. A minute later a girl dressed in a white dress appeared at the door way holding a cat that definitely didn't want to be held.

"I did it! They liked my design!" Victoria said, jumping from her chair and sweeping up Elizabeth in a big hug, cat and all.

"That's great sis! How many do they want?" Elizabeth asked, still in her sister's arms. The cat was writhing around in discomfort.

"A hundred and one! Amazing isn't it?" Victoria said as she tightened her hold on Elizabeth. The feline gave a cry and shot itself out of the sister's embrace.

"Sounds big sis," Elizabeth said, beginning to feel a little sympathetic of the cat. "You should get started soon then."

"Oh my! You're right! Get my things ready! Ring up the Diamond Dogs! Clear my schedule! We've got to get to work right now!" Victoria said excitedly, throwing Elizabeth out of her arms.

"Uh, sis? I didn't mean that you should start right now," Elizabeth said as she straightened out her dress. "Its ten thirty and you've been up since five. You need rest." Victoria wasn't paying attention to Elizabeth anymore. She was too busy pulling things out of cupboards and storage cabinets. All manner of objects were being suspended in the air by Victoria's magic, but it seemed as though this was not intentional when Elizabeth noticed the poor mouser somersaulting in the air helplessly. Elizabeth merely shook her head and smiled, leaving Victoria to her creations. Her sister meant well, but she worked herself too hard sometimes. But that's what she liked most about her sister and she wouldn't want anybody else to replace her.


	4. True Prologue

Creating a backstory for AJ and Fluttershy is pretty hard, so I've decided to skip them for now and jump straight into the true introduction to the story. Please leave a review so that I may improve my writing skills. Thank you.

* * *

**Prologue **

Jessica desperately tried to cover her tears from her parents as she bid them goodbye. This was already hard enough on them, and she didn't want an image of their daughter crying as their last memory of her before she left.

"Now Jess, make sure you write to us every once and a while," said Jess's father. He gave a somber laugh. "Don't forget that we're still here, alright?"

"Don't worry, dad, I will," Jessica replied. She looked into her father's eyes, eyes which she had never seen a single tear form in her life, and saw a faint, glistening drop form, yet it did not fall. She smiled at him and hugged him, giving him a loving kiss on the cheek. They let go of each other and Jessica faced her mother, unrestrained tears flowing down her face.

"Come visit every now and then, won't you dear?" Jessica's mother said in a choked voice. "At least during the holidays."

"I'll try as much as I can. And you can be certain that I'll be here for Hearths Warming," Jessica said. Her mother grabbed her and gave her a great, tight hug. She returned the affection equally. When the two left each other's arms, Jessica could see a sorrowful smile on her mother's face through the tears.

"Well, I guess this is it," Jessica said as she backed away and grabbed her suitcase from the floor. She was about to say goodbye when she heard a commotion coming from the house behind her parents. The front door burst open, revealing a short figure in the doorway, carrying a tremendous bag.

"Don't forget about me!" the boy said as he rushed over to stand near Jessica.

"Of course we won't, Donny," Jessica's father said as he laughed at Donny's oversized bag.

"We'll never forget what you've done for us here," Jessica's mother said, smiling. "Take care of Jess for us."

"You can count on me, Mrs. Aurora!" said Donny. He gave a military salute, dropping his bag in the process. The group laughed as Donny struggled to lift his bag once more.

"I sure hope you take better care of her than you do that bag!" Jessica's father joked as he went over to help Donny with his luggage. Once the young Dragon-half had reclaimed his bag, Jessica gave one last goodbye to her parents before starting down the street towards the castle. She looked back once, seeing her parents still looking in her direction, and they continued to look towards her until she disappeared entirely from view. Together, Donny and Jessica walked in silence down the lamp lit streets. The only sounds were those of the occasional passing young couple, whispering sweet nothings to each other in the warm summer night. Each of the pair was deep in thought, wondering how their new life would be outside of the walls of Canterlot. It was Donny who finally broke the silence as they approached the grand stairway to the castle.

"I can't believe it. I'm finally going to see the world outside of Canterlot!" Donny said excitedly.

"Yeah. I hope it's as pretty as the pictures in my books," Jessica said, adjusting the glasses on her face.

"Maybe even prettier!" Donny replied.

Silence fell between the two once more as they ascended the hundred steps to the castle. At the top, they were greeted by two guards, adorned in glimmering armor, who stood resolutely in front of the grand gates. Jessica approached the gates, only to bump nose first into what felt like a wall. She rubbed her nose as she saw a glowing wall of light before her.

"Hey! Let us through!" she exclaimed to the guards.

"Sorry ma'am. No visitors at night," said the guard to her right. The guard on the left turned to his partner and gave him an odd look.

"But the queen is expecting us!" said Jessica.

"Sorry, but I have my orders," said the guard. "You'll just have to return in the morning, Twi."

"This is absurd! I need to see the-!" she stopped suddenly. Nobody except for one person called her Twi. She approached the guard slowly, stopping when she saw a smirk on the guards face.

"Gotcha!" said the guard, his smirk growing into a smile.

"Erik!" Jessica exclaimed as she attempted to hug her brother despite his armor. "I thought you were off defending the Crystal Kingdom!"

"I was, but Her Majesty sent in someone else to relieve me from my duties," said Erik. "I just got back this morning. Mom and dad told me the news, and I would have stayed to meet you, but Her Majesty wanted me back at the castle immediately."

"I don't know what to say. I haven't seen you in months and now that you're back, I have to leave," Jessica said sadly. She was also slightly angry at herself for leaving for the optional Saturday classes at the academy that morning.

"Hey, look, how about I come visit you sometime? Next time I'm relieved of my duties, I'll stop by," Erik said, trying to comfort his sister.

"Sure. That sounds great," Jessica responded, smiling.

"Jess, we don't want to keep Celestia waiting!" Donny urged.

"Spike's tagging along with you too, huh?" Erik said, looking at Donny. "Well, I guess he's right. Better let you guys through now." He nodded to his partner on the other side of the gate. The wall of light disappeared and the gates slowly opened inwards.

"Bye, Erik. Stay safe," Jessica said softly as she went through.

"You too," Erik replied. He stopped Donny before he went through the gates and extended his hand in a fist. "Stay cool, man."

Donny, juggling his bag, bumped fists with Erik. "You know it," Spike replied before running to catch up with Jessica.

The pair walked through the great doors of the castle. The greeting chamber was dark, illuminated only by the moonlight peering in through the stained glass windows. Then, suddenly, the entire chamber began to fill with light as the doors at the other end of the chamber opened. From these doors emerged a radiant figure adorned in a shimmering white dress who appeared to cast light all throughout the chamber. The being slowly approached the Jessica and Donny, who kneeled when she came near.

"There's no need for that, you two," Celestia said softly. "You are my friends, afterall."

"That doesn't mean I can't show respect," Jessica said as she stood back up. "Are we leaving right now?"

"Yes. My airship is ready and waiting outside," Celestia responded. "Are you fully prepared?"

Jessica and Donny both nodded.

"Very well. Follow me."

The trio made their way through the grand hallways illuminated by Celestia until they finally arrived at the gardens. The gardens were always peaceful and beautiful at night, but they did not see the usual moonlit landscape. Instead, they were greeted by the queen's private airship, _The Alicorn_, silently sitting in the middle of the lush green.

"Man, what a beauty!" Donny said as he stared in awe of the vessel.

"Like it? Then I it's yours," said the queen with a smile. They young Dragon-half turned to the queen, mouth agape in disbelief.

"Seriously? No way!"

"Go ahead. See how it feels."

Donny approached the airship and entered it through the stairs it had extended onto the ground. He waved excitedly to Jessica from the cockpit. She waved back, smiling.

"Don't worry, Jessica, I have given you a gift as well," Celestia assured Jessica. "I know how much you love your books, so I have given you the Archives for you to live and stay at."

"Really?" Jessica said, amazed. "Thank you very much, Your Majesty!"

"Goodbye, my protégé. I will expect your first report by the end of the week," said the queen. "I wish you luck in your new life. Farewell!"

Jessica gave one last goodbye to Celestia before she proceeded to board the aircraft. She seated herself next to the excited pilot of the airship and placed her bags behind the seat.

"Ready, Jess?" Donny said as he gripped the controls tightly.

"Ready!" Jessica said as she strapped herself in.

The engines roared as the aircraft slowly raised itself above the gardens, the castle, Canterlot. Once the ship had gained enough altitude, Donny slowly maneuvered the ship forward, gradually gaining speed until it was speeding through the night sky.

Jessica drifted off to sleep to the soft hum of the engines, dreaming of her new life in Equitem.


	5. Chapter 1

Sorry for the wait for those who are actually following this story! It might take a week or longer for me to post, so please be patient. And please leave a review! I really need it! Enjoy! :)

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_Goooooood morning Equestria! It's another beautiful morning her in Manehattan…_

Jessica buried herself deeper into her covers to deafen the sound of the television. She would _not _have her Saturday morning ruined.

From below, the soft sound of grease sizzling in the pan could be heard, followed by a powerful, sweet aroma enough to make even the fiercest dragon swoon in delight.

Jessica, upon the arrival of the fragrance, was out of bed and downstairs in an instant.

She sat herself down at the table, still rubbing the morning out of her eyes. She set her half-awake sight on _The_ _Equitem Chronicle _lying on the table just out of reach. The newspaper was surrounded in a soft purple light as it lifted itself a few inches off the table, glide towards Jessica, and fold itself neatly to the front page. She was busy reading the cover story about a local DJ making it big in the Manehattan clubs when Donny set a plate stacked high with flapjacks next to Jessica.

"Just the way you like them," Donny said cheerily.

"Thanks, Spike," Jessica responded lethargically.

Donny went back to the stove to make his own stack when something caught Jessica's attention on the television. It showed a reporter standing in a familiar locale that she couldn't quite name, and the banner below her read "POP STAR RETIRES AT ONLY 19". She made the remote fly into her hand and raised the volume higher.

"… Last night, pop star and international sensation Pinkie Pie declared her departure from the music industry only three days after the end of her _Smile _tour," piped the reporter.

"Pinkie Pie isn't making music anymore?" Donny said over his shoulder, still flipping his pancakes. "Bummer. She was really good."

"I've never heard of her," Jessica said.

Spike quickly spun around and gave Jessica a look that made her flinch.

"Are you serious?" Spike said in disbelief. "She was number one on the charts for Equestria, Lunaria, and for an entire year straight! Twenty singles, each a huge hit! Cover of _Pony _two months ago and even a few commercials!"

Jessica shook her head. Spike turned away from Jessica in disgust to continue crafting his meal. Jess rolled her eyes as she redirected her attention to the television.

"… The starlet has moved to this town, a little town in the valley by Canterlot, to live with her friend Henrietta Cake and her husband. She has requested that we not reveal the name of the town so as to keep the media away from her. This has been Lyra Heartstrings, MANE 6 News, back to you Marcus…" the reporter announced before switching back to a news anchor back at the studio.

Jessica held the last image of the scenery behind the reporter in her head for a minute, trying to recall where she had seen it before. It was right at the tip of her tongue, yet she couldn't quite place it.

"Spike, where have I seen that building in the background?" she asked her chef.

She received no answer.

"Spike! Spike?" Jessica turned to no longer see the Dragon-half standing by the stove. Instead, he was by the door, slipping on his jacket and shoes. "Going somewhere?"

"She's here! That was Sugar Cube Corner! We gotta go NOW!" Donny said excitedly. "Hurry, Jess! Get ready!"

"Calm down, Donny, who's here? That 'Pinkie Pie' person?" Jessica asked, but her words fell on deaf ears, as Donny was already out the door. She marveled at how fast Donny could move when he was motivated. She took a big mouthful of pancakes before walking upstairs to get changed.

* * *

As she left, the television flashed several images of an old stone monument with the banner beneath it reading:

"10,000 YEAR OLD STATUE ON DISPLAY FOR FIRST TIME"

* * *

The streets of Equitem were expectedly quiet and peaceful for a Saturday morning, with only an occasional jogger making their way down the street or the occasional muted sound of rolling thunder from passing Pegasi that seemed to break the calm of the little valley town.

But today, of course, Donny also had to be the source of another disturbance.

He ran through the streets like a bat out of hell. He toppled trash cans, rattled fences, bumped into innocent bystanders. Only when he finally reached the café did his mindless destruction come to an end. A smile grew on his red and sweaty face as he reached for the door handle, ready to meet the ex-idol. However, before he could even turn the handle, the door abruptly opened. Donny jumped back to avoid getting hit, only to lose his balance and fall flat on the cement.

"Ow…" Spike said as he slowly picked himself up. Spike turned to face the now opened doorway, ready to give whoever opened the door a piece of his mind. But when he saw who was standing in the doorway, he stopped. Seeing this new face at the door suddenly made him forget why he had come here in the first place.

"Oh my! Are you okay? Do you need help?" said the woman in a concerned voice.

"H-hi," was the only word Donny managed to form, being caught off-guard by her beauty.

"Uh, hello?" the woman said, confused. The two stared at each other for a few moments, Donny in a trance and the woman out of confusion, before Jessica appeared from around the corner.

"There you are! Don't run off like that!" Jessica said as she walked up next to Donny. "I hope he didn't give you any trouble, Victoria."

"None at all, dear," said the woman. She brushed her purple hair to one side flamboyantly. Donny suddenly snapped back to reality when he saw the two greet like old acquaintances.

"Wait, you know her, Jessica?" Spike asked, breaking his gaze of Victoria.

"I met her the other day when I went to go get my jacket fixed," Jessica said. "She runs the boutique just down the block. You've never seen her around?"

"Well, I would, but I never get to go out," Donny said, shooting a look at Jessica. She rolled her eyes at him and instead redirected her attention to Victoria.

"What are you doing here? Are you here to see this 'Pinkie Pie' too?" Jessica inquired.

"Actually, she's an old friend," Victoria responded.

Jessica and Donny gave her a surprised look.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Victoria said.

Her two companions shook their heads.

"Well then let's stop looking at me and let's get inside!" Victoria said as she waved her guests in. "A few of my other friends are here too. Don't be afraid to mingle!"

The trio walked in to a group of four other women excitedly conversing. Jessica hesitated a bit, not liking the idea of meeting so many people at once. She had never really been good with meeting new people; whenever someone tried to keep a conversation going with her, she would unintentionally end it abruptly.

"Ahem! Attention!" Victoria announced in a loud voice. The group stopped conversing and turned their heads towards Victoria and her two companions. "Everyone introduce yourselves to my new friend, Jessica!"

A girl with pink hair shot out of her seat and was upon Jessica in seconds.

"Hi! I'm Diane!" said the girl excitedly. "Are you new here? I don't remember you ever being here! How long have you been here? Do you like it here? Who's this little guy?"

The assault of questions left Jessica a bit dizzy, but Donny stepped in before she could recover.

"I'm Donny, but my friends call me Spike," he said, trying to act casual, like meeting a celebrity wasn't a big thing.

Diane was about to release another bombardment of questions, but another girl rose from her seat and stopped her before she could start.

"Slow down, Diane. Give her some breathin' room," the girl said. She extended her hand outwards towards Jessica. "Howdy! I'm Laura. Pleasure to meet ya!"

"Pleasure to meet you too," Jessica said politely. Jessica's hand slipped tenderly into Laura's and instantly regretted it. The Earthmover's enormous strength had left Jessica's hand utterly crushed. Jessica smiled meekly, trying not to look too much in pain, as Laura stepped back.

There were two other girls sitting side by side on the couch conversing, yet they seemed too into their conversation to bother greeting Jessica.

"Oh, pay them no mind, dear," Victoria said. "You'll get to know them soon enough."

Jessica was still slightly anxious, but deep down, she was glad to have made some acquaintances in this town. After all, you never know when you're going to need someone to help you out.


	6. Chapter 2

Hey everybody(pony)! I've been working all week on this one! Hope you enjoy it and make sure to leave me a review. :)

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Two hours.

Two hours of absolute boredom.

The Spellweaver had little opinion on anything the rest of the group talked about. Did you see that latest movie? Did you catch that program on MANE 6 last night? Have you tried that new restaurant near the edge of town?

"No" to every question that was thrown Jessica's way.

Every now and then, she could latch onto a conversation for a while, but it was short lived.

The conversation was winding down when, finally, Jessica caught her break.

"I'm reading this great book about Queen Celestia's life story. It's called _Rising Sun_," Victoria said. "Have any of you read it?"

Jessica lit up immediately. "I have! That's one of my personal favorites," Jessica piped. "I simply adore Jean Price's works, but I find this particular one the best."

"What's it about?" Diane said, muffled by a cupcake.

"Well, like Victoria said, it's about how Celestia came to become who she is today, all the way from her childhood to where she is today," Jessica said. "It's great. You should all read it."

"Pfft," scoffed Julia, one of the two Cloudwalkers in the room. She was reclined in her seat, feet kicked up. "It can't be _that _good."

"Says you! You don't even read books!" Laura exclaimed from the seat beside her.

"She's right…" squeaked the other Cloudwalker, Erika.

"Yeah? So what!" Julia spat. "Can we just move on?"

Victoria's posh living room grew quiet for a moment. Everyone was gathering their thoughts to make up another topic to think about. Julia was about to start the conversation, but was interrupted by a commotion in the next room.

"Elizabeth! Hurry up or we'll be late!" called a girl's voice.

"Hold on a sec!" Elizabeth called from upstairs. There was a rustle, a crash, more rustling, and finally the sound of footsteps descending on the stairs.

"Ugh, finally!" said a different voice. Moments after hearing this, a trio of young women emerged from the neighboring room, each with a backpack slung over their shoulder.

"Where y'all headed?" asked Laura.

"School trip to the Gardens of Mikhail!" said Elizabeth. "Did you pack the lunches, Mary?"

"You betcha!" said the young Earthmover. She flashed a bulging paper package she had been holding in her hand.

"Come on! If we don't hurry, we won't make it!" said the third member of the little group.

"Carly! Enough! We know!" said Elizabeth, annoyed. "Anyways, let's go. Bye, sis!"

She smiled and waved at Victoria. The elder waved back.

The threesome began to file out the door when Laura suddenly remembered something she had to tell her sister.

"Make sure ya bring back a couple hundred pounds of feed, Mary!" she called out, but the door shut before she had even made it halfway through her sentence. "Aw, shoot. Oh well."

"I've been to those gardens," said Erika softly. "They're really nice."

"Maybe we should visit those gardens sometime," Jessica suggested. There was a murmur of approval among the six, minus Julia.

"Boring," was all the input Julia gave on the notion of looking at a bunch of trees and old sculptures.

"You're boring…" Erika whispered as she gave Julia a teasing look. Julia returned the look.

The four other members of the group gave each other sidelong glances.

"Movies, anybody? I'm just dying to see that one with that one guy in it!" Diane said as she sprang up from her seat.

"Gee, Pinkie, that's real specific," said Laura sarcastically.

"I like the sound of a movie. How about it, Jessica?" Victoria said.

Jessica nodded, followed by the approval of the rest of the company.

"All right! Let's jam!" Diane said as she joyfully made her way to the door.

The group emerged from Victoria's manor to the warm sun complimented by a cool breeze. Victoria had her house built on a hill a fair distance away from town so that she could look over Equitem and the valley. Jessica looked out into the vast expanse of lush green surrounding a little town. When she saw the pictures of how the world looked when she lived in Canterlot, she would have never thought that it would have looked so beautiful. But the world _was_ a whole lot prettier than it was in all the books she read, and she was glad it was. An airship sped by above her, breaking her gaze upon the valley, blowing the leaves off the trees as it flew off into the distance towards the ivory castle of Canterlot.

* * *

"… and this here is a statue of Starswirl the Bearded. For those of you who actually did the homework last night, you'd know he was the inventor of the crystal engine and court mage of Queen Celestia," said the instructor of the group of teenagers who were less than interested in monuments of centuries old figures. "All right everyone! Let's meet back up here in two hours. Don't get into any trouble!"

The students shuffled lazily through the garden of exotic plants and marble, stopping every so often to investigate a particularly interesting plant or to converse to one another about out of school affairs. But there were three young women who were genuinely intrigued by the history surrounding them in the garden. The trio was gathered around a depiction of Queen Luna, taking pictures and scribbling down notes.

"Amazing. I can't believe how well sculpted these all are," uttered Elizabeth as she snapped a few photos on her camera.

"I know, right? Centuries old and they look as if they were made yesterday," said Mary, who was attempting to draw the visage of the queen, although not very well.

"Pretty cool," Carly said absent mindedly. She had just remembered that she hadn't finished last night's homework and was scrambling to complete it.

While Elizabeth was trying to get an angle to shoot again, she saw behind the statue a mass of people swarming near the entrance to the Sacred Grounds, the walled off innermost section of the gardens. It was normally sealed off from the public, but Elizabeth remembered seeing on the news that morning that they were letting the public in for a limited time.

"Check that out, guys," Elizabeth called to her friends. The other two pulled themselves away from what they were doing to see what Elizabeth was talking about.

"Isn't that the Sacred Grounds? I thought they didn't let anyone in there," Mary said, stashing her incomplete sketch in her bag.

"They don't, but I heard that Queen Celestia is letting people check it out for a while," Carly said. "I think we should check it out before it gets too crowded."

"So let's go!" Elizabeth urged.

They gathered their belongings and made their way to the crowd assembled in front of the tall iron gates guarding the entrance to the inner gardens. They waited for several minutes before two tall Royal Guards appeared from behind the crowd. They made their way to the front of the gates before they turned to face the people waiting eagerly to enter the gardens.

"Ladies and gentlemen," boomed one of the guards, his voice amplified by his magic. "You will be the first people to enter the Sacred Grounds in over ten thousand years. We ask that you be respectful to anything and everything you find within. We also ask that you refrain from using any photography during your visit. Leave any crystal devices you may have outside the premises of the Grounds. And lastly, please do not touch _anything_. Any violation of these rules while result in immediate ejection from the Grounds and the Gardens."

After the guard had finished, he and his partner used their magic to open the gate. It slowly swung inwards until the two sides were parallel to one another. The sound of the doors locking in place could be heard as the swarm of people began to pour through them.

The entirety of the inner gardens was covered by a dome that prevented any sunlight from entering. The only source of light was provided by the local flora, which were only dim white lights and an occasional blue or red tint. The visitors were confined to walking on a narrow walkway surrounded by a waist high metal fence. The path was only wide enough for two people to walk side by side, but even then it was still a squeeze. After about three minutes worth of walking, the walkway opened up to a large circular platform in the center of the rotunda.

"Wow," was all Elizabeth managed to say when finally reached the center.

"This place makes me feel strange," Mary said as she looked out into the darkness of the garden. "It's like a dream.

"Let's go over here guys. I want to get a closer look at the plants," Carly said as she went approached the edge of the platform, Mary closely following her. Elizabeth, however, ignored her, focusing her attention on something else.

It was a gigantic statue right in the middle of the platform.

Although it was dark in the chamber, the effigy seemed to give off a luminescence of its own. From this light, every last one of its features could be seen with an unusually clean clarity. It was a man, a man adorned in an elaborate set of armor. Although his eyes were blank and empty, his face appeared strong and defined, but a prominent goatee also gave him a sinister appearance. The strangest thing about this statue was what the man was standing on. At his feet was a mangled mess of animals both recognizable and incomprehensible. Lions, deer, goats, birds. It was a strange yet intriguing mess.

"How strange," Elizabeth said absently. She approached the monument until it was just out of arms reach.

It was then that she heard a ringing.

It seemed to come from everywhere and it was slowly gaining in volume.

Alongside the ringing was a voice.

_Touch it. You know you want to. Just one little touch._

Unwillingly, Elizabeth raised her arm and reached for the statue. She maintained contact for only a second, but during that second, she felt as if she was running a mile. Her heart began to pound against her chest. Sweat was flowing down her face at a dramatic rate. When she finally retracted, she collapsed on the floor, gasping and exhausted.

"Elizabeth!"

Mary and Carly ran over to Elizabeth's side and helped her to her feet.

"Are you all right?" Mary said as she wiped the sweat off of Elizabeth's face.

Elizabeth did not respond. She was shaking and gasping for air. A crowd was beginning to gather around her.

"Come on. We gotta get her out of here," Carly said.

The trio ran along the path in the dark garden towards the light, leaving confused onlookers behind.

While nobody noticed, it seemed as though the statue's hard face had twisted into a smirk.


	7. Chapter 3

Jessica popped another chocolate into her mouth as the sizable group emerged from the theater. The movie proved to be quite exciting, yet certain parts had been interrupted by Diana's squeals of excitement. Nonetheless, everyone was quite content, including Jessica.

"Daring Do is so awesome!" Julia exclaimed. "I just can't believe that the next movie doesn't come out for another two years!"

"It's just two years," Erika said quietly. "Besides, you could always read the books."

"Yeah, right!" Julia scoffed. "Nothing is as exciting as the movie!"

"I think you'd be surprised," Jessica began. "A good book can really suck you in."

Julia ignored Jessica's statement and was instead beginning to drift off towards fountain in the middle of the plaza. Jessica shrugged it off and instead directed her attention to her strange, new surroundings. Apparently, the quiet part of the city where she had settled was considered "Old Town". Here was the true heart of the City of the Valley; a beautiful cylindrical plaza, surrounded by a large number of clothing stores and posh restaurants all held together by a grand, pearl white fountain in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. Downtown Equitem was like a completely different world from the quiet little streets just several miles away.

"This place is so big!" Jessica exclaimed excitedly. "Canterlot didn't have anything like this."

"Are you serious?" Victoria said, aghast. "You would prefer _this _over that beautiful city?"

"Well, yeah, I would," Jessica said. "Canterlot really isn't all that special."

"Perhaps for someone like _you_, but for a true fashionista and designer like _me_, its paradise!" the other Spellweaver exclaimed. Jessica and Laura, who had remained silent since they had left the house, rolled their eyes in secret. "One day, I'll be up there, getting custom orders from stars and royalty! It will be grand!"

"Yeah, and maybe you'll end up being some sorta princess," Laura said flatly with a smirk.

"I know, right? Oh, I can see it now!" Victoria said dramatically, not catching the sarcasm in her friend's voice. Laura shook her head and Jessica laughed a little, but Victoria was absorbed in her own fantasies now, and paid no mind to these gestures.

The trio continued to circle the plaza, until Jessica realized they had separated from the other members of their group.

"Hey, where did the others go?" the young Spellweaver asked.

"Dunno. Diane was always runnin' off, so I wouldn't doubt if she still does. And as for those two love birds-"

"Wait, so they really are-?" Jessica whispered, drawing closer to her companion.

At this point, Victoria's phone began to ring.

Laura was growing nervous. _Shoot! Why'd I go and have to say that? I told them I wouldn't say!_

"W-well, I don't really know, but I would reckon, seeing as how they are always so close and such…" Laura said, voice fading out. She sunk her hands into her pockets and looked away from Jessica, trying to convey that she didn't want to talk, but Jessica didn't quite get the hint.

"Do the others know?" Jessica said, at this point absolutely giddy with the excitement of gossip.

From behind, the ringing ceased with a pleasant 'Hello'.

"No! I mean, I don't really know if they really got a thing or not, just a guess!" Laura said.

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked suspiciously.

"Positive. Now just drop the whole situation and forget I ever said any-"

"What!?" Victoria screamed loudly. The pair in front turned with a start. They could hear chatter coming from the phone, followed by several gasps on Victoria's part. There was a little more chatter before the phone was slammed shut abruptly. Victoria shot forward, knocking Jessica and Laura to the side.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Laura reached forward and grabbed Victoria by the shoulder. The Spellweaver tried to wrench free, but there was no escaping the herculean grip of an Earthmover.

"Laura! Let go of me this instant!" Victoria said. Her voice was full of panic and concern.

"Wait! What's going on?" Jessica asked, trotting up next to Victoria.

"It's Elizabeth! She's in the hospital! I've got to go _now_!" Victoria exclaimed. Upon hearing this, Laura let her hand go limp, allowing Victoria to go free. She started towards her car.

"Wait a minute, Mary was with her! What if something happened to her too?" Laura asked herself. "Hey, wait for me!" She ran to catch up with Victoria, who was already fumbling with the keys.

"What about the others?" Jessica said frantically. She began to approach the car as well "Guys, wait! I'm going too!"

Jessica barely had enough time to get into the car before it gave an incredible roar and took off.

* * *

Julia and Erika sat together quietly on a bench in the park just outside the town plaza. The sun was setting in the distance, bathing the lake in front of them in a glorious twilight. The floating city that hung just above the sun's reach was beginning to light up like a fire; it began slowly, starting with the highest and lowest points first, until the entire metropolis was akin to a second sun in the sky. It was a sight that was rarely seen by most Cloudwalkers who lived in that great city, but the members of the Royal Air Force were well acquainted with the sight. Julia must have seen it hundreds of times while she was patrolling the night skies, but it never got old to her. She marveled quietly at its beauty, trying to act as if it really was no big deal, but she couldn't help but smile every time she saw it.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Erika said quietly.

"Yeah," Julia said in awe. "I love seeing it lit up like this. There really is nothing like it, you know?"

Erika smiled and gave a gentle nod in agreement. They sat there silently, looking into the sky as the sun sunk more and more into the mountains. Erika slid slightly closer to Julia. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't make any words come out. She tried again, but was cut off by Julia.

"Do you want to come out and do some cloud clearing tomorrow? It'll be nice to see you get back in a PEGASUS," she said as she stretched out on the bench, her arm extending behind Erika. Julia changed when she was around just Erika. She felt as though she didn't need to put up the façade she always had going.

"Oh, of course, I'll try," Erika whispered. She slid more towards Julia and again tried to ask Julia a question that she had been keeping for quite a while. She failed to do so again.

"Hey, Erika," Julia said as she turned towards the shy Cloudwalker. Erika turned as well, and the two locked eyes. "You and I, how long have we known each other?"

Erika blushed slightly and turned away, not out of embarrassment, but in an attempt to recall the years. It finally hit her.

"Close to fifteen years," she said, turning back. "It's a pretty long time when you think about it, huh?"

"Yeah," Julia replied. "And all those years, we had always been close, right?"

"Of course."

"But lately, I've felt that something is different between us. Like we're close on a whole different level."

Erika and Julia locked eyes once more.

The roar of a far off engine ripped through the silence.

"I… I feel the same, too," Erika said, ignoring the engine.

They began to lean in closer and closer.

Erika closed her eyes as she drew closer to Julia.

A million things flashed through both their minds in a blink of a second. A flood of inexplicable emotions raged through their bodies.

_What is this I'm feeling? Can this be-?_

Their hearts were practically bursting through their chests as they felt the other's breath on their mouth.

They had all but made contact when a sudden ringing interrupted their tender moment.

The two separated quickly, in a sudden and unnatural disgust that quickly disappeared, yet still enough to bring the two apart. Erika looked away to the lake and sunk into the fur of leather jacket, redder than she had ever been, as Julia reached into her pocket to retrieve her phone. She checked the caller ID, only to find it was Victoria.

"Hello?" she said with disdain.

"We're at the hospital. I'm afraid you'll have to find another ride back to the house," the Spellweaver's voice said through the speaker. "I have to go now." She hung up.

"Who was it?" Erika asked without looking at Julia.

"Just Victoria. Had to go to the hospital," Julia said, snapping the phone shut.

"Oh, dear!" Erika gasped. "What happened to her?"

"I don't think anything happened to _her_, but that she was going to the hospital for someone else."

"Oh. I see."

"We also lost our ride. Gonna have to hoof it back home to Victoria's."

"Why don't you just call Anthony?"

Julia considered this. She saw Thunder's jet in the air when they were walking into the theatre several hours ago, meaning that he was already off duty. She nodded and began to dial his number into the phone. The two stared into the darkened horizon, the moon beginning to take its place in the sky.

Erika reclined in the bench, and smiled.

* * *

Diane had been swamped the second she walked out of the theatre. Her attempts to remain anonymous were failing horribly. Her pink hair, a rarity amongst Earthmovers, made her stand out too much and any attempts at dying it were futile. After signing a few dozen signatures, she had been able to push her way into the plaza, where she quickly ducked into the nearest Equestrian Outfitters. Ten minutes later, she emerged discreetly, hair hidden in a black hoodie. Not quite her style, but how else was she supposed to live without getting harassed by fans all the time? She made her way to the nearby park, a quiet place that few people went to at sunset. She spotted Julia and Erika in the distance and started towards them excitedly. She stopped short when she saw the two sit on a bench and decided to leave them alone. She walked away slightly disappointed, but was content with seeing her friends happy. Diane smiled as she plopped on a bench by the lakeside. She was remembering the first time she came here with her parents. It was a warm summer day and all the ducks were gliding across the top of the water, the sun setting just as it was now, and a there was cool breeze that seemed to defy the summer heat. Now here she was again, in the same place she remembered all those years ago.

"Finally! I'm finally back home!" Diane said ecstatically. She tried to skip one more stone on the water, only to have it skip a perfect six times. She squealed and fell back in her seat.

She hoped that this would never go away. Hoped that it would never change.

A loud roar shook the calm air.


End file.
